State of the East and where the Hawks stack up

LOS ANGELES -- There’s rarely a dull moment in the NBA.

From growing rivalries to teams underachieving, the NBA is never without some form of drama and this season has not disappointed. This season saw the continued rise of the rivalry between the Spurs and Thunder in the Western Conference, while the Pistons surged to the top of the East after their rise last season.

So far this season, the NBA has given plenty of surprises, as well as disappointments across the league. The Eastern Conference has unfolded quite differently than the experts projected before the season began in October.

Here are some things that stuck out through the first half of the season in the Eastern Conference.

Pleasant surprises

— The Celtics have overachieved this season, despite the absence of six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, as well as the majority of the team that won them an NBA Championship in 2024.

At 24-15, the Celtics rank third in the Eastern Conference, which expected to see several other teams in the top six.

But Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has continued to coach them into one of the league’s best offenses. Shepherded by Jaylen Brown, the Celtics rank second in the league in offensive efficiency.

— While the Pistons’ winning ways don’t come as a surprise, their rapid ascendence to the top of the Eastern Conference is. The Pistons ended last season sixth in the East after a first-round exit in the playoffs.

So, a return to the top six was expected.

But the Pistons, who lost 28 straight games two seasons ago, are an even stronger team than last season. They boast the second-best defense in the NBA and a top-10 offense, with a bench that regularly ensures minimal drop off in production when starters rest.

— The Raptors have been a formidable opponent for the Hawks, having swept them in the season series. But they’ve given a lot of their opponents this season problems with their physicality and aggressiveness on the defensive end. They rank seventh in defensive efficiency.

Unpleasant surprises

— After leading the Eastern Conference during the regular season, the Cavaliers were expected to return to the top this year.

But the Cavaliers have not lived up to those expectations, having dropped to seventh in the Eastern Conference, and half a game behind the Magic for sixth place.

— The Magic, too, were expected to take a leap. But with injuries to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, the Magic had to deal with players in and out of the rotation. They also needed to find the right ways that new guard Desmond Bane fit into their lineup.

— This season, the NBA has had just one in-season trade, the Hawks move of Trae Young to the Wizards. Other than that, the league has had just a lot of noise as teams wait to see potentially where Giannis Antetokounmpo moves, whether the Nets can find a partner for Michael Porter Jr. or if teams in the West move on from their injured stars.

But what about the Hawks?

— Unlike the Cavaliers, the Hawks didn’t lead the league at any point last season. But like the Cavaliers, the Hawks entered the season with expectations that they would rank among the top six after the acquisitions they made during the offseason.

At 20-22, the Hawks hit a rough patch in December that sent them tumbling in the standings all the way to 10th.